Don't You Break Her Heart
by BlackRoseDragon13
Summary: A meeting between Ino and Shikamaru ends with harsh words. Can Chouji open Shikamaru's eyes before it is too late? Rated T for language and blood.


**YAY! My writer's block is FINALLY gone! Gomenasai about the lack of posts…I haven't been able to write ANYTHING lately, but the evil block is gone, and I'm back on track! Anywho, this is a ShikaIno oneshot that came to me randomly one night…hope you enjoy! Rater T for language and a wee bit of blood.**

**Don't You Break Her Heart**

**Summary: A meeting between Ino and Shikamaru ends with harsh words. Can Chouji open Shikamaru's eyes before it is too late? **

**Rated: T**

**Characters: Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino**

**Warnings: None really...just some fluff, no real canon plot.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form.**

**EDIT – 3.4.11** **Heyyy, everyone! Just doing some cleaning on my old fics...nothing too drastic :D This is one of my favorites, and there wasn't much to edit here...but...all my fics are getting a bit of a makeover ^^ Um...nothing else really to say!**

The blunt impact of mahogany wood sent him careening back, stumbling for footing and leaving him with a nose dribbling blood upon his upper lip. Dazed, he could do nothing but stand there like an idiot and let his nose form a puddle on her front porch for a good five minutes. Once he came back to his senses he shook his head, resulting in a spray of blood upon the door and surrounding structure.

_Damn troublesome woman…_ Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Shikamaru stumbled off Ino's porch, ignoring the stares he got regarding his paling complexion and blood-stained countenance.

He was getting dizzy before he ran into Sakura and Naruto, who both panicked before he explained the situation. Healing his broken nose, Sakura chided him for letting it go so long. "You're lucky you ran into me, or you probably would've passed out, you stubborn idiot!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever…I gotta go. Thanks Sakura, see ya Naruto." The man left the pair without a backwards glance, leaving behind one baffled ninja and one worried woman.

Despite his lazy and untroubled appearance, the shadow shinobi was actually hurt. Ino had never yelled at him like that, and she had certainly never caused him this much bodily harm, at least not on purpose. One minute they'd been discussing an upcoming meeting with Suna officials coming up that week, and the next he'd been ushered out the door with ringing ears and a stinging snout. What he had done to deserve such treatment was beyond him; as far as he was concerned, nothing had happened to justify Ino's irrational behavior.

"Oi, Shikamaru!" A booming voice called out to the troubled Nara, and he turned to see his best friend making his way toward him. "I thought you were discussing the council meeting with Ino this afternoon!"

"Well I was, until she broke my nose with the front door," Shikamaru replied, rubbing his still-tender snoot.

"Now what have you done to upset our teammate, Shikamaru? I thought you promised to be on your best behavior!" The larger man gave his companion a gentle shove, eyebrows drawn together in a worrisome expression.

"I didn't do anything to her, Chouji…what is it with that woman that makes her so damn irritable?" Shikamaru's voice growled; just the thought of the incident irritated him. "I didn't do anything wrong, and she threw a fit worthy of a genin!"

Chouji patted his friend on the back. "Why don't we talk about this over barbeque? You know that I listen better with a full mouth!" The large man laughed, steering his smaller friend toward the threshold of their favorite barbeque bistro.

Only once the grill was lit and the meat crackling did Chouji ask, "Now, what did you say to Ino that made her disfigure your face so badly?"

"I don't know…but I've never seen her so mad…"

"What was the last thing you said?"

"Like I remember that! We were just discussing the meeting next week, and then she just started ranting-"

"About what?"

"About…" Shikamaru's rage died down from boiling to a low simmer. "About…"

Chouji waited for his friend to continue, stuffing five pieces of takujo tan shio into his mouth at once.

"She was mad…because I mentioned how I've missed Temari."

Chouji was not one to disregard food. When he ate, he gorged himself on every last crumb. Not a thing was ever wasted by the portly shinobi. So when Chouji dropped a piece of takujo tan shio, Shikamaru noticed.

"What?"

"Ah, Shikamaru…" Chouji released his grip on his chopsticks, placing them gingerly upon the table. "You know how we talk of Naruto and his blind eye to Hinata?"

Shikamaru grunted an affirmative, gaze locked upon the glimmering coals of the barbeque.

"Men are often blind to those who care about them most…and thus is the case with you, my friend."

"Stop talking to me in riddles, Chouji!" The Nara's fist slammed down on the table.

Chouji's eyes widened, surprised at his friend's reaction; he hardly ever got riled up. _His fight with Ino must have really bothered him…_ "Forgive me…I suppose bluntly is the only way to put it. Ino cares for you, Shikamaru…more than me, more than Asuma…more than herself. Do you remember the mission you went on and you nearly lost your right arm?"

"Yes…"

"She came to me, after seeing you in the hospital. She cried and cried, worried sick about you. I told her that she should tell you how she felt, but she wouldn't listen to me. Any guesses why?"

"…no."

"Whenever she comes to me to talk about you, which is often," the large man smiled at something only he could see. "She'd say all kinds of things, but lately…she's been sad about the Suna meeting. She doesn't want you to see Temari again, because she thinks that you like her. She feels…replaced. So, when you mentioned missing the Sabaku girl, Ino felt like you were eager to see her, which you may or may not be, but she's worried that you'll be so focused on Temari, that you won't see her standing there, like she has been since we were a genin team."

Chouji let his words sink in, watching Shikamaru's face earnestly. He cared deeply about both of his teammates, and now both of them were upset.

Swallowing a hard lump in his throat, Shikamaru grunted to clear his voice and mumbled, "I have to go…thanks Chouji; what you said…it meant a lot." Without hesitation, the Nara got up and left the large man behind with a smile on his face.

"Do the right thing, Shikamaru…don't you break her heart."

Shikamaru walked hunched over, hands stuffed deep in his pockets. He was Konoha's lead strategist. He could outmaneuver brilliant minds and stay one step ahead of his enemies to keep his friends and comrades safe. His plans had saved Konoha from ruin enough times to make him a real hero, and in his friends' eyes he was such. But right then, the shinobi's mind was completely blank. Never before had he been stumped until that moment. _How can one girl leave me without a plan?_ Before he could overcome his mental roadblock, he found himself at Ino's door. The bloodstains were still there, and he regretted not cleaning them up before they had settled into the wood. _Now she's got two reasons to skin me alive…_ Taking a deep breath, he decided he'd just have to go in blind.

Lifting a fist, he knocked on the door.

For what seemed like an eternity, nothing happened. Pressing his ear to the wood grain, he didn't hear anything stirring within. Grunting with impatience, the strategist could do nothing but wait. He shifted from one foot to another, knowing that to a passerby he looked ridiculous. But he persisted, remaining planted to the porch like the stain of his blood.

He waited so long, he nearly jumped out of his skin when the blonde actually answered the door.

Her aquamarine eyes were rimmed with red sockets, bloodshot and teary. But her face betrayed no emotion otherwise, stoic and businesslike, as a kunoichi should be. "Yes, Shikamaru?"

Sheepish of his reaction, the boy replied, "I was wondering…if I could talk to you…"

Inclining her head regally, Ino sniffed and opened the door wider. Avoiding her red-hot gaze, Shikamaru shuffled into his teammate's small home. The door shut with a loud click, and the boy couldn't help but feel trapped: trapped with the most troublesome woman he knew.

"Sit down," Ino commanded. Shikamaru instantly obeyed, dropping into his seat like a stone. "I'll make some tea."

Her voice shook slightly, and Shikamaru felt terrible. _To think…I just said a few words, and I affected her like this; women are so troublesome…_

Gruffly, Ino handed her teammate a mug of hot tea, sipping her own in the dead silence. Only after she'd swallowed a few times did she ask, "What do you need, Shikamaru?"

The boy set his tea down on an end table, untouched. "Ino…you broke my nose with the door."

Her gaze didn't falter.

He winced. _I thought that would at least make her crack a smile… _"And I, um…I ran into Sakura, and she fixed it for me…" He laughed lightly. "She can work wonders, that woman."

Still no reaction.

"But that's not the point. Chouji saw me walking and took me to lunch. I explained what had happened to him, and he…he told me something."

Ino's countenance stiffened, but otherwise she did not betray her inner thoughts.

"Look, Ino…you know that I'm not good at talking with girls…"

"Then talk to me like your teammate, like your friend. The way…you always talk to me."

"I don't want to talk to you like that!" His voice rang in the small room. "I…I want to talk to you…the way you want to hear me. Chouji told me, Ino…he told me what you told him."

"I've told him many things…things I could never tell you." Her icy tone made him flinch.

"I know…I can be hard to deal with…but that didn't stop you…did it?"

Nothing.

"Ino, when I mentioned Temari..."

The blonde stiffened again.

"What I meant is that…it had been a long time since I'd seen her, and it would be nice to see an old friend. And that's all I meant: friend.

"The bond I have with her, well, it's more like an acquaintance. I don't write to her. I don't see her every day. I don't…" Shikamaru paused. "She doesn't mean as much to me as you, or Chouji, or any of my other friends. I've known you since we were kids! We've been fighting side by side for more years than I'd like to admit! And I know that no one has my back more than you or Chouji…no one can replace the relationship I have with you guys…and the one I have with you…is special. Sometimes I feel like it's a bird's egg I have to handle with care. Other times, I feel like it can never be broken. And I never…want to lose that, Ino! I never want to lose…you." The boy fought back tears. "I…I love you, Ino."

Silence.

Ino's eyes were wider than before, her lips parted just enough to slip a slender finger between them. Her tea cup, lifted a few inches off her saucer, trembled violently. Her eyebrows slowly slanted apart, new tears springing into her azure eyes. "Shi…Shikamaru…" She searched for words. "I…you've never sounded so sincere…I'm stunned."

"It's true Ino…I'm sorry, I've been worse than Naruto…I understand if you're still angry…I was a fool-"

"No!" Panic flooded Ino's face, and her cup smashed to the floor as she reached out to Shikamaru. "No, I'm not angry…it's just…when you talked about Temari…I thought…"

In one fluid motion, Shikamaru made his way to kneel before Ino. "I know…and that was my fault…I wasn't thinking. If you'll forgive me…"

"Of course, you idiot!" A choked laugh escaped Ino's lips. "You know I can't stay mad at you!" Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around Shikamaru's neck, letting him do the same to her waist. "I just get…jealous, that's all."

Pulling back, Shikamaru smiled at her. "I know, you troublesome woman. But I have to admit…your troublesomeness is really what I love about you." Grinning wide, the boy crashed his lips against Ino's, glad someone had finally opened his eyes. _Thank you…Chouji._

**Well, there you have it! Let me know what you thought, and I might have another shot up later today, if I can get it done…thanks again for reading!**

**~BlackRoseDragon13**


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